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The antagonistic relationship between the BBC pair seems to have started in January, when Mr Peston was appearing on PM.

Mr Mair read out a series of newspaper headlines reporting that bankers' bonuses were set to rise again.

When asked a question, Mr Peston interjected: 'I should slightly point out that I did actually disclose last Thursday that the Government had chucked in the towel on trying to restrict bonuses, but plainly PM takes the view that if it's in the newspapers it must be true.'

The presenter seemed to accuse the business editor of rudeness, saying: 'Oh Robert, I've let you down, I feel bad and I'd like to apologise... I won't mention the fact that you just turned your mobile phone off after it rang.'

Mr Peston said, 'I can turn it back on again,' but Mr Mair replied: 'That would just be petty.'

However, both men seemed to treat the row with good humour in the following days - at least in public - as Mr Mair posted a blog entry titled 'My bitter and angry feud with this man' and consisting solely of a photograph of Mr Peston with the caption 'Insert bitter and angry caption here'.

And Mr Peston wrote on Twitter, 'My feud with Eddie Mair escalates,' as he claimed to have been described as the 'nemesis' of PM.

Listeners seemed amused by the apparent animosity, with one tweeting that the row 'could be a blood bath'.

The argument even prompted an idea for a new programme from one listener, who wrote: 'Eddie Mair and Peston should just be given their own show. Just them sniping at each other, without the news getting in the way.'

A spokesman for the BBC told the Daily Telegraph: 'They enjoy friendly banter which regular listeners enjoy and know well.'